A method and arrangement for dissipating heat from a localized area within a semiconductor die is presented. A semiconductor die is constructed and arranged to have at least one conduit portion therein. At least a portion of the conduit portion is proximate to the localized area. The conduit portion is at least partially filled with a heat-dissipating material. The conduit portion absorbs heat from the localized area and dissipates at least a portion of the heat away from the localized area. As such, thermal stress on the die is reduced, and total heat from the die is more readily dissipated.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A semiconductor die comprising: at least one conduit disposed within the die, a first portion of the conduit being proximate to a localized area, and a second portion of the conduit having an end portion at a face of the die; and a heat-dissipating material at least partially filling the conduit, the heat-dissipating material comprising a material capable of changing phase, wherein the conduit is constructed and arranged to absorb the heat from the localized area and to dissipate at least a portion of the heat away from the localized area.
2. The semiconductor die of claim 1 , wherein the heat-dissipating material comprises water.
3. The semiconductor die of claim 1 , further comprising a spreader external to the die, the spreader constructed and arranged to dissipate at least a portion of the heat, the spreader being proximate to a second localized area in the die, the second localized area being proximate to the second portion of the conduit.
4. The semiconductor die of claim 3 , wherein the spreader is a thermal spreader or an integrated heat spreader.
5. The semiconductor die of claim 1 , wherein the conduit is cylindrical.
6. The semiconductor die of claim 1 , including additional conduits, the additional conduits being staggered relative to each other.
7. The semiconductor die of claim 1 , wherein the conduit has a hole therein.
8. The semiconductor die of claim 1 , wherein the conduit has a channel therein.
9. The semiconductor die of claim 1 , wherein the conduit has a via therein.
10. The semiconductor die of claim 1 , wherein the conduit has a slot therein.
11. The semiconductor die of claim 1 , wherein the conduit has a tube therein.
12. The semiconductor die of claim 1 , wherein the conduit is laser-drilled onto a back face of the die.
13. The semiconductor die of claim 1 , wherein the conduit is etched onto a back face of the die.
14. A semiconductor die comprising; a microprocessor circuit; at least one conduit disposed within the die, a first portion of the conduit being proximate to the microprocessor circuit, and a second portion of the conduit having an end portion at a face of the die; and a heat-dissipating material at least partially filling the conduit, the heat-dissipating material comprising a material capable of changing phase, wherein the conduit is constructed and arranged to absorb heat from the microprocessor circuit and to dissipate at least a portion of the heat away from the microprocessor circuit.
15. The semiconductor die of claim 14 , wherein the conduit is substantially filled with the heat-dissipating material.
16. The semiconductor die of claim 14 , wherein the heat-dissipating material comprises a thermally conductive material.
17. The semiconductor die of claim 14 , wherein the conduit is cylindrical.
18. The semiconductor die of claim 14 , wherein the conduit includes a hole.
19. The semiconductor die of claim 14 , wherein the conduit includes a channel.
20. The semiconductor die of claim 14 , wherein the conduit includes a via.
21. The semiconductor die of claim 14 , wherein the conduit includes a slot.
22. The semiconductor die of claim 14 , the first portion of the conduit being proximate to a floating point unit in the microprocessor circuit.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
October 26, 2005
February 10, 2009
Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.